


Write it on My Skin

by HomeForImaginaryFriends



Series: Bokuroo Week 2017 [4]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, BoKuroo Week, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Softness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-04
Updated: 2017-04-04
Packaged: 2018-10-14 22:06:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10545114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HomeForImaginaryFriends/pseuds/HomeForImaginaryFriends
Summary: Kuroo and Bokuto are trying to pull their friend out of an artist block, while simultaneously going out on dates for themselves.  They learn that Sawamura's block has less to do with art and more to do with his heart.





	

Bokuto slid up to Kuroo, dancing in front of him with his usual grace, which was admittedly not much.  Bokuto Koutarou was not the best dancer, he could never really seem to stay on beat, but then again Kuroo Tetsurou never seemed to mind.  Kuroo hooked his fingers into his boyfriend's belt loops, pulling him closer and smirking at him as their noses bumped together.  It was suppose to be sweet and cute, but Bokuto was bouncing a little and it turned into something slightly more painful.

 

“Sorry sorry!”  Bokuto hooked his arms behind Kuroo’s neck, leaning up the couple of centimeters of height Kuroo had on him, to press kisses against his nose, causing Kuroo to laugh against Bokuto’s chin.  Bokuto could be tender at times but at that exact moment someone on the crowded dancefloor bumped into Kuroo and he pushed forward into Bokuto.

 

“Kou, are you alright?”  Kuroo cringed, knowing he had hit Bokuto’s mouth with his forehead.  They were usually a little more coordinated that this, or at least they never caused harm to each other.

 

“Yeah I just bit my tongue.”  Bokuto shrugged it off.  Kuroo supposed when you were covered in tattoos and worked in animal rescue, where sometimes animals did not appreciate being rescued, biting your own tongue wasn’t a blip on the pain radar.

 

“Maybe we should go check on Daichi?”  Kuroo offered to which Bokuto nodded.  It had been a while since either of them had gone out to a club, not since college at least.  Kuroo didn’t want to admit they were nearly pushing 30, but in the quiet of his own head he reluctantly thought that he’d rather be home, cuddled up on the couch and eating one of Bokuto’s experimental meals.  He had been getting steadily better, Kuroo hadn’t had to go to the hospital for food poisoning in years.

 

But their close friend, Sawamura Daichi, was in need.  The guy wasn’t a household name by any means, but he was well known amongst the artist crowd for his larger than life metal sculptures.  It was natural not to hear from Sawamura for weeks while he worked on a project, but Bokuto had wanted to check up on him anyways, and Kuroo wasn’t inclined to deny Bokuto anything so they went to Sawamura’s firehouse-turned-studio to find Sawamura laying dead center in a very empty studio.  Apparently he had something of an artist block for some days now, so Bokuto and Kuroo had decided to try and help him out.

 

Kuroo’s idea was to get Sawamura out of his studio and into the world, amongst people.  Sawamura was a natural people-person, he got along well with mostly everyone because of his country boy charms and steady nature.  Kuroo had remembered that Bokuto and him had spent the past couple date nights at home watching marathons of crime shows.  So he had suggested a club to get the blood pumping.

 

It was too loud, people were pressed too close, and Kuroo was uncomfortably sweaty.  Kuroo didn’t even have the added benefit of a drink to soften things up and he was regretting more and more sliding into the jeans that admittedly made his long legs look amazing.  He wanted to be at home, curled up with his amazingly attractive and adorable boyfriend while listening to Sawamura gripe on about the two college-aged boys who asked to be his apprentices every day.  No one was fooled by Sawamura’s old man act, everyone could see he had grown fond of the tall scowly kid and his short sunshine friend.

 

“It’s college all over again.”  Bokuto had stopped and Kuroo draped himself over his boyfriend's back, despite the fact it was too hot in the club and they were both sweaty already.

 

“I forgot, this is why we never send Daichi to go get drinks.”  Kuroo and Bokuto were laughing even as they made their trek towards a cornered Sawamura.  Sawamura always managed to be cornered by the most aggressive people in the club, every single time since they were all in college together.  It didn’t help that Sawamura was just naturally a good guy, he never found it difficult to scold and punch his friends but put him up against a stranger and it was as if he couldn’t get his mother's voice out of his head telling him to be kind and respectful, despite the very real fact that these aggressive people tended to push right into Sawamura’s space.

 

“Hey hey hey Daichi!”  Bokuto managed to shove his way over to Sawamura’s side without actually shoving anyone.  It was his relative broadness that made people automatically move aside for him.  “Kuroo threw up all over himself so we need to take that drunkard home, he got a little on me too.”  The group of women automatically stepped back at that as Bokuto stuck out his leg to show them the, imaginary, vomit.

 

“Ah- right!  Yes, if you’ll excuse me, sorry.”  Sawamura bowed before towing Bokuto and Kuroo away.

 

“So, did it get the juices flowing?”  Kuroo asked as they spilled out into the dark night, bypassing the long line of people waiting to get into the club.

 

“Gross, why did you have to put it that way?”  Sawamura moved spots with Bokuto, as if it was automatic for him to place Kuroo and Bokuto together.  Bokuto hummed happily as he looped his arm around his boyfriend's waist.

 

“So your juices aren’t flowing?”  Bokuto asked with a mock innocent look.

 

“Ugh stop.”  Sawamura pulled a face, moving out of the way for a group of women wearing impressively high heels.  Sawamura smiled as the women laughed and pushed together, undoubtedly whispering about the attractive man in the tight black shirt.  “I think I’ve gone partially deaf, that music was so loud.”  Sawamura rubbed at his ears and while Kuroo’s automatic response was to tease Sawamura about his official old man status, he couldn’t help but agree.

 

“I do have a headache.”  Kuroo admitted reluctantly.  Kuroo knew when he was in the wrong and could admit to it.  They should have just gone to their regular bar where there were booths, good food, and reasonably priced beer all with the added bonus of being surrounded by people their own age who understood volume control.  “Are we old?”

 

“We’re not exactly young.”  Sawamura rolled his neck with a self deprecating grin.

 

“Oh I know!  My turn next!”  Bokuto hopped eagerly.  “What are you doing tomorrow night Daichi?  Oh that’s right you’re coming out with us.”  Kuroo chuckled, pressing his face momentarily against his exuberant boyfriend's neck, placing a small kiss there that earned him a loving grin in return.

 

“When did I agree to this?  Who says I’m not busy?”  Kuroo and Bokuto both stared down at Sawamura who eyed them grumpily.  “Okay so I’m not busy but you don’t know me, I could have a date.”

 

“You haven’t had a date in what is it now?  A year?  No way, it’s been over a year Daichi!”  Kuroo cackled at the new found knowledge as Sawamura scowled deeply.

 

“It’s been a year and six months, it’s coming up on the anniversary.”  Bokuto tugged Kuroo a little closer, fingers skimming his side as Sawamura and Kuroo gave him a curious look.  “Well Daichi had that horrible date the day before Akaashi’s first day at the parlor, and I was going to get him a cake or something in celebration on Monday but Akaashi doesn’t like sweets.”  Bokuto looked downtrodden but Kuroo was more interested in how Sawamura was staring up at the sky, trying to appear as innocent as possible even as the back of his neck flushed.  The back of Sawamura’s neck was always the first to show his embarrassment, then it spread to his ears before finally reaching his face, which hardly ever happened.  The man was damn near unflappable.

 

“He likes nanohana no karashiae, I could make some and you could give it to him on Monday?”  Sawamura offered, his voice just a little too low pitched to be normal.  Kuroo wanted to interrogate his old friend a little, but he’d wait until Monday to see if his suspicions were correct.

 

“Really?  That’s awesome, thanks Daichi!”  Bokuto chirped happily, previous sadness forgotten.  Akaashi worked at the tattoo parlor with Kuroo and the usually expressionless man had struck up an easy friendship with Bokuto, Kuroo’s boyfriend stopped by regularly and knew everyone at the parlor.  Kuroo had been surprised, Bokuto was on friendly terms with most people because his personality was very likable but he didn’t really have a lot of friends, he tended to be a bit much for people.  Kuroo would have suspected Akaashi wouldn’t enjoy Bokuto’s loud enthusiasm but they ended up becoming good friends.

 

“So we’ll see you tomorrow night?”  Kuroo asked slyly, knowing full well that Sawamura wouldn’t turn them down.  Well, in truth Sawamura had no problem turning Kuroo down, but Bokuto had a puppy dog face none of them had any immunity against.

 

“Yeah, no more clubs okay?”  Sawamura warned and they both nodded in agreement, though in truth Kuroo had no idea what Bokuto had planned.

 

“I like these pants.”  Bokuto said, tugging on Kuroo’s belt loop with two hooked fingers and giving Kuroo a slow growing grin.  Sawamura had headed on home as Kuroo and Bokuto waited for the bus.

 

“Oh yeah?”  Kuroo pushed a little closer to Bokuto at the empty bus terminal.

 

“I think they would look better on my floor.”  Bokuto’s grin went full wattage with his cheesy pick up line.  Kuroo laughed as he bent down to kiss his boyfriend.  “I mean, I guess they’ll go in the hamper since your kind of a clean freak.  Oh!  We have to do laundry too, we’re out of clean underwear.”

 

“Kou, I told you to stop using my underwear, you stretch it out.”  Bokuto grinned lavishly as Kuroo laughed, pressing their foreheads together.  “That wasn’t what I meant and you know it.”

 

“You don’t think I’m well-”

 

“Shh-” Kuroo cut his laughing boyfriend off with a kiss as a group of college-aged looking kids showed up at the bus terminal.  “Your butt is a lot bigger than mine.”  Kuroo admitted, causing Bokuto to toss back his head and laugh.

 

The next night Bokuto dragged his very willing boyfriend and much less willing friend to a festival.  Kuroo laughed when he spotted the bright lights while Sawamura rolled his eyes, but there was clear fondness on his face as Bokuto dragged them to the ticket line with child-like enthusiasm.

 

“So are we trying to relive our glory days?  Is this some sort of mid-life crisis?”  Sawamura asked, though he was eyeing a couple of the food booths with clear intention.  Kuroo had to admit he hadn’t been to a festival since he was in high school.

 

“Are you going to win me prizes to gain my affections?”  Bokuto asked, shifting closer to Kuroo as they look over a couple of the game booths.

 

“Bet I can win more.”  Sawamura grinned, causing Kuroo to smirk back.

 

“Bring it on old man.”  Kuroo challenged.

 

“I’m in my own shoujo manga, the two cutest boys fighting for me via festival games!  Who will win the heart of the fair maiden?”  Bokuto cheered, causing them all to laugh.

 

“Sorry to say Kou but you haven’t been a fair maiden for a long time, not since that night when we were-” Kuroo started with a smirk but was cut off by Sawamura.

 

“Please stop, as if being your roommate wasn’t bad enough, I’ve successfully managed to block out all the times you two had traumatized me.”  They had been young and in a newly formed relationship, clumsily making their way through things.  Sometimes they forgot to make sure Sawamura wasn’t in Kuroo and his shared dorm before things got a bit heated.  Sawamura had seen quite a bit of both Bokuto and Kuroo in various positions and states of undress.

 

“As a healthy bisexual man you should have-”

 

“Stop, stop right there.”  Sawamura challenges Kuroo to a game, the winner gets a hug from Bokuto.  In Kuroo’s completely unbiased opinion, Bokuto gives the best hugs and he’s not willing to give up a single one.

 

Except Kuroo loses, he loses so hard.  He loses a total of five hugs, three cheek kisses, and a massage to use at a later date.  Bokuto is laden down with toys but they are all from someone who most decidedly isn’t his boyfriend.

 

“You can’t keep those.”  Kuroo says, knowing full well he’s all talk because Bokuto looks happy hugging his various giant stuffed animals to his chest.  Kuroo takes a picture of a beaming Bokuto, an armful of toys, and sends it to everyone they know because it’s adorable and Kuroo is too in love to deny it.

 

Bokuto is too kind for his own good though and ends up giving away most of his winnings.  There’s a little crying boy who positively lights up when Bokuto overs him his dragon plushee.  There’s an embarrassed looking high school boy who continues to try to win prizes for his date, Bokuto sneaks him an adorable droopy looking dog when the girl isn’t looking, her squeals of delight follow them as they walk away.  It continues on like that until Bokuto is left with three.

 

“Kenma wants the cat.”  Kuroo thinks it’s the universe laughing at them because the cat, a stuffed toy the size of Bokuto’s torso, has an eternally unimpressed grumpy look sewed onto his black face.  It’s also the only prize Kuroo had managed to win for Bokuto.

 

“He can have it.”  Bokuto offers graciously, never able to turn down anything someone wants.  It means he’s left with a big black crow stuffed animal and an owl that looks suspiciously like the tattooed man.

 

“You just want the crow because it looks like Daichi,” Kuroo pouted as he typed up a response to Kenma, telling the younger man to drop by the parlor for it the next day.  Kenma showed up at the parlor often, claiming it wasn’t to see Kuroo but to use the free desk space to work on his game.  Kenma’s specialty was working out small bugs in games, but in his free time he was building his own game completely from scratch.

 

“Look at how disapproving it is.”  Bokuto turned the crow to Kuroo, who had to laugh and admit it did look as if it was very disappointed in Kuroo’s life choices.

 

“Kenma said we should tell Daichi to come by the parlor tomorrow too.”  Kuroo said, sounding surprised.  He had been texting Kenma to explain why they were at a festival, to help Daichi with his artist block and Kenma’s idea had been to come to the tattoo parlor.

 

“There is a lot of art there.”  Bokuto said with a shrug.  “Let’s go make out on the ferris wheel!”  Bokuto tugged him along as Kuroo tucked his phone back into his pocket.

 

They did make out on the ferris wheel and subsequently got into trouble for it.  It did feel an awful like like high school, especially when they tracked down Daichi whose personal space was once again being invaded by a guy who weighed probably as much as one of Daichi’s thighs.

 

“Did you at least get to clean out a couple food booths before you were set upon by that very little man?”  Kuroo asked with a grin as they sat on the train together.  Bokuto was tucked into Kuroo’s side, passed out like a puppy who had played too hard, his arms still full of the three big stuffed animals.  Kuroo was lazily dragging his hand up and down Bokuto’s spine, cheek resting softly on the top of Bokuto’s beanie clad head.

 

“I don’t eat that much.”  Sawamura argued though that wasn’t true.  Kuroo didn’t know anyone who could pack away food the same way Sawamura Daichi did, and he was dating the garbage disposal known as Bokuto Koutarou.  Sawamura looked exhausted too, but in a completely different way than Bokuto.  Sawamura was looking over at Kuroo and Bokuto with a type of softness that Kuroo had seen in other people's eyes but never Sawamura.

 

Dating had never been a priority for Sawamura, or at least that’s how it seemed to Kuroo.  He had been focuses on classes and volleyball during college and then he had gone to work immediately for an accounting firm after they graduated that slowly drained the life out of Sawamura day-by-day.  A couple years after that Sawamura had started to mess around with different mediums of art until he landed on, of all things, metal.  It took a couple more years until Sawamura finally got some recognition and was allowed to quit his day job to fully focus on his sculptures.

 

Sawamura had gone on dates but he hadn’t really dated, hadn’t been in a relationship for as long as Kuroo had known him.  Kuroo could see the beginnings of want in the other man's eyes.  Not for Kuroo or Bokuto specifically, but for what they had.  Soft comfort on a train ride, someone to come home to, someone to cook with or watch trashy tv with or just be with no matter what they were doing.  Long warm baths and soft, careful morning sex.

 

Kuroo pressed a soft kiss to the crown of Bokuto’s head, eternally grateful for not only finding the man but for Bokuto loving him back, for having Bokuto take that initial step away from their friendship and into something more.

 

Kuroo was beginning to think that Sawamura’s block had less to do with his art and more to do with his heart.

 

“Kenma said you should drop by the parlor tomorrow, maybe seeing some of his designs will inspire you?”  Kuroo offered, this time leaving it up to Sawamura to come or not.

 

“Yeah that sounds good, I have to bring the um- stuff for Bokuto to give to Akaashi.”  Sawamura rubbed the back of his neck, looking out the window.  “We don’t want Bo trying to make _nanohana no karashiae_ and poisoning Akaashi.”

 

“Rude Daichi, I haven’t poisoned anyone in years, tell him Tetsu.”  Bokuto pouted from his prone position.

 

“I have not had to go to the hospital in years.”  Kuroo put his arm around Bokuto, pulling the other man closer as he hummed happily.

 

“Disgusting,” But Sawamura’s eyes were soft and fond.

 

The next day Kuroo led a client and her friend out of the back room, smiling as the girls chatted excitedly about the girls first tattoo and the level of pain and how well it had turned out.  Bokuto sat at Kuroo’s desk in the front, eating a big bowl of ramen and looking sleepy yet satisfied.  He had a late night call to round up an owl that had gotten stuck in someone's house, Bokuto mostly enjoyed his job at animal control and enjoyed it even more when he was able to rescue happy little critters, especially owls.  But it meant he had gotten home as Kuroo was leaving for work, so he had most likely just woken up and come straight to the parlor.

 

Kenma was sitting at Yamagata’s empty desk, curled up in the large chair and typing away at his tablet while occasionally eating from his own bowl of ramen.

 

The source of ramen was Sawamura Daichi, sitting in a client chair pulled around to sit next to Akaashi, who was using a marker to draw beautiful, and temporary, designs on Sawamura’s left arm while they both ate from their own bowls of ramen.

 

“Hey hey, how’d it go?”  Bokuto asked, all clear interest and adorable innocence.  The girls talked easily to him.  “Your first tattoo on your ribs and you didn’t cry!  That’s crazy, I bawled my eyeballs out when I got a tattoo on my ribs.”  The girl beamed with pride.  Kuroo grinned, ringing them up and handing over a small bag with a few things to help keep the tattoo clean with instructions on how to use everything.

 

“Have a good day.”  Kuroo said, causing the girls to blush as they waved and walked out.

 

“They were adorable.”  Bokuto said as he moved out of Kuroo’s seat and into a client chair before nudging a tupperware of ramen to Kuroo, who took it happily.  Sawamura was by no means a great chef, he knew how to make a total of five dishes but he made those five dishes exceptionally well.

 

“Ah- I should take this.”  Sawamura excuses himself after his phone had rang, walking out the front door as he answered.  Akaashi watched him with stormy blue eyes.

 

“Bokuto you should tell Akaashi how you asked Tetsurou out.”  Kenma’s soft voice said into the silence, not even looking up from his tablet.

 

“I improvised!”  Bokuto exclaimed excitedly, setting his empty bowl down on the desk before eyeing Kuroo’s.  Kuroo sighed, pushing it over to his boyfriend.  Luckily Kuroo had packed a lunch, and Bokuto had let him eat half of the ramen before eyeing it.

 

“Improvised?”  Akaashi asked carefully, long fingers twirling the black marker easily.

 

“Yeah!  I was going to do it in a big thought out way but no one would lend me 15 owls, can you believe that?”  Bokuto snickered as Akaashi raised a careful eyebrow.  “I was feeling all dejected because how was he gonna know I liked him without the owls?  But then we were staying after for extra practices so I spelled out date me with volleyballs.”

 

“What?”  Akaashi dropped the marker, looking over at Kuroo as if he was disappointed in him.  Kuroo couldn’t help the shrug.

 

“I mean it was suppose to be longer but the balls kept rolling around and Tetsu was all ‘what are you trying to do?’ so I told him, I’m trying to get them to spell out date me!  So he started helping me and asked me-”

 

“Who are you trying to date?”  Kuroo grinned, remembering the feeling of dejection boiling inside him back then, thinking Bokuto had liked someone else on the team but wanting to help his friend out.

 

“You obviously!”  Bokuto laughed, a big booming sound that still made Kuroo feel warm all over to this day.

 

“And he continued to chase around the volleyballs, trying to get them to line up, not even realizing he had already confessed to me.”  Kuroo continued the story.

 

“And that worked?”  Akaashi asked slowly, as if he thought they were full of it.

 

“Sometimes simple-” Kenma gave Kuroo and Bokuto an exhausted look, but there was fondness deep in his eyes.  “Works best.”  Kenma met Akaashi’s eyes for a long moment before looking down at his bowl of ramen.  Akaashi stared down at the marker and the parlor was silent for a couple minutes.

 

“How do I know it’ll work out?”  Akaashi finally asked, not meeting anyones eyes.  Bokuto put his second empty bowl down with a flourish.

 

“Huh?  What?  Oh, Daichi?  Of course he likes you, he made you that _nanohana no karashiae_ , spent all night trying to make it!”  Bokuto said with a grin as Akaashi looked down at his food.

 

“And then made ramen for everyone to make it look less suspicious.”  Kuroo cackled, shaking his head, not sure how he missed it for so long.

 

“Plus you’re really pretty Akaashi!  And smart and you actually understand all the art stuff Daichi talks about.  He always asks about you, he always got this scary look on his face whenever Tetsu asked to practice drawing on him but he lets you do it all the time, and knows your favorite food-” Bokuto ticked things off his fingers.

 

“Alright Bokuto, thank you.”  Akaashi’s pale cheeks were red.  “Improvising, you said?”

 

“Yeah yeah!”  Bokuto nodded enthusiastically right before Sawamura walked in.

 

“That was the art house that paid for a commision, they liked the idea of the huge dragon.”  Sawamura was smiling happily as he sat back down in the chair next to Akaashi.  Kuroo noticed that Akaashi had drawn a long, winding dragon going up Sawamura’s forearm.  “I’ve had something of a block the past couple weeks.”  Sawamura added sheepishly, offering his arm up without being asked.  Akaashi gripped Sawamura’s wrist carefully, thumb running over his pulse point.

 

“A metal dragon will be impressive.”  Akaashi said softly, bending over to start a new drawing on the inside of Sawamura’s wrist.

 

“Yeah it’ll take a lot of work, I really want it take up the whole studio space too.”  Sawamura cleared his throat.  Bokuto moved to sit on Kuroo’s lap, arms wrapped around his boyfriends neck as they both watched the scene unfold.  “Um- I can- if you want that is, of course you don’t have to, but I could get you a ticket for it?  When- when it opens, if you’re not busy.”  The blush spread from Sawamura’s neck to his ears as Kuroo wrapped his arms around Bokuto’s waist.

 

“I would like that.”  Akaashi pulled back, looking at Sawamura with a soft smile.  “What do you think?”  He motioned down to Sawamura’s arm and Sawamura tilted his head, reading what was written on his wrist.

 

The blush moved to cover Sawamura’s entire face as he slowly looked up at Akaashi.

 

“Really?”  Akaashi nodded, sporting his own pink blush, fingers twirling the marker nervously.  “Yeah!  I mean yes, yes I would- we should do that.  Go on a date, soon, that is.” Sawamura laughed, ducking his head and rubbing the back of his neck in an endearingly charming way.

 

“They are so cute.”  Kuroo interrupted, paying back Sawamura for interrupting his own confession more than a decade ago.  He had come into the gym and demanded Kuroo and Bokuto clean up all the balls that they had just cleaned up after practice.

 

“Ah, young love.”  Bokuto hummed as he rested his head on top of Kuroo’s before jumping up in excitement.  “We should go on a double date!  To the festival!”  Kuroo laughed as his boyfriend jumped up and down excitedly.  “Akaashi don’t shake your head, Daichi is very good at the games!  He can win you anything you want!”

 

“H-hey!”  Kuroo stuttered out, offended.

 

“Where’s my cat?”  Kenma spoke up.

 

“Oh no I forgot it!”  Bokuto wailed.

 

“Bokuto please calm down.”  Akaashi sighed.

 

“I can’t go back there, the food booths gave me the stink eye last time.”  Sawamura admitted sheepishly.


End file.
